


Don't Give Up

by thatwriterlady



Series: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2016 [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2016, Bullies, Bullying, Castiel gets hurt, Dating, Deaf Castiel, Deaf Dean Winchester, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, He'll be ok, It's only MENTIONED WHILE CASTIEL IS THINKING OF A FRIEND HE LOST, M/M, Not by a major character, Protective Dean Winchester, mention of suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 19:02:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8459311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: Castiel hates high school.  He is the target for bullies everywhere, and not a single day goes by when he isn't picked on.  Still trying to hide his broken ribs from his parents from an attack the week before, he makes the decision to drop out.  It's what he thinks will be his last day when he is attacked once again.  No one, in 4 years of high school has ever come to help him.  Until now.  He finds his bullies beaten down by none other than Dean Winchester, a boy he knows from a few of his classes for the hearing impaired since Dean has similar hearing problems.  The last thing he expected was that Dean liked him too, or that this one boy could turn everything around for him.  And turn his life upside down.  Dean is flawed too, but maybe, just maybe they can help one another heal.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here is day 3, I do hope you like it. I went a slightly different route here. Patching each other up, it can have so many different meanings. Since on the show they spend so much time doing it literally, I approached this from a different angle, and went for the metaphorical meaning. I hope you like the route I took here.
> 
> Both main characters are hearing impaired. I didn't go into too much detail as this is meant to be more of a one shot, so you can use your own interpretation as to the cause behind why they are this way. Disease, infection, genetics, you choose. 
> 
> And for the record, if you think a principal won't be this blatantly ignorant of what is going on inside his school, I have news for you. They can be if they think they can get away with it. Please keep an open mind here.

**_Day 3: Patching Each Other Up_ **

****

Castiel was tired.  So very tired.  Every single day he went to school he found himself pushed, shoved, spit on, punched, or worse.  This was no different, except that Monday he wouldn’t be returning to school.  No one knew that though, and he wasn’t going to say a word.  He wasn’t the kind of person to try and commit suicide.  He’d already lost several friends that way and he’d seen the long lasting damage that was the aftermath.  He still felt it.  Meg, she’d been his best friend in the entire world, and it just wasn’t the same place without her.  His family loved him deeply and he couldn’t do that to them, but at the same time he couldn’t continue to suffer that abuse.  He was currently sporting a number of broken ribs that he was too scared to tell his parents about because one of the assholes on the football team had tripped him the other day and kicked him so hard he’d _felt_ them crack.  The torture was coming to an end.  He wasn’t putting up with it anymore.

 

He’d managed to make it to last period only getting tripped 3 times and shoved into a locker twice.  The frames for his glasses were cracked, again, but he was almost to the home stretch.  Then _Alistair_ spotted him.  As much as he tried to stay off of Alistair’s radar, every once in a while the bully locked on to him, and he knew how he must look, like a deer in the headlights as Alistair smacked his buddy Azazael in the arm to draw his attention to Castiel too.

 

 _“Fuck.”_   Castiel hissed under his breath. 

 

“Well, if it isn’t the president of the Loser Club.”  Alistair sneered in his nasally voice.  Castiel ignored the taunting and went to his locker.  He had slowly been clearing it out all week so all he had to grab now was his coat.  All of his books he stacked neatly on the bottom with a letter explaining why he could not remain in the school even a moment longer.  Being 18, his parents couldn’t force him to stay.  He realized it basically destroyed his chances of getting into one of the better universities, but right now, he couldn’t give a shit.  There was absolutely no way he was going to put up with this any longer. 

 

His older brother Gabriel was probably the only person he had trusted, besides Meg, to tell what was going on, and his brother had told him that if their parents tried to force him to return to school, or threatened to kick him out over it, he could come live with him.  Gabriel lived in Indianapolis and he’d been there often enough to know that the people didn’t really notice him much, and he felt like maybe he could blend in better there.  As he close the locker door he felt someone elbow him hard in his injured ribs.  The pain made him cry out and of course Alistair thought it was his doing.

 

“Look at this pussy.  Little wimp, cries at the slightest little touch.”

 

Castiel put his back to the locker and clutched his weather beaten trench coat to his chest, not that it would offer any protection.  He tried not to tremble.  They saw it as weakness and the beating would be so much worse.

 

“Bet the little bitch can’t even hear us.”  Azazael shoved his shoulder, wanting to impress Alistair as usual.

 

“I heard your ignorance just fine.”  Castiel snapped.  Azazael shoved him again, this time hard enough that he felt it.

 

“You think you’re a little bad ass, talking back, huh?  Nobody _likes_ little queer weirdos like you, especially deaf ones.”  Alistair was right in his face, his breath hot and putrid.  Castiel fought not to gag as it washed over him.

 

“Good thing my goal in life isn’t to have people like me then, isn’t it?  I couldn’t care less what your opinion of me is.”  For the first time in his life, Castiel fought back.  He shoved Alistair back, startling the other boy so much he lost his footing and tripped, barely stopping himself from falling.  Other kids were gathering now to watch but as usual, no one was offering to help.

 

There were kids that were nice to him, and some that were actually sympathetic, but no one brave enough to stand up to the bullies like Alistair.  Now, as Castiel briefly glanced around, he spotted a few of those faces.  He hoped that one of them would at least go get the principal.

 

“Fucking smart ass.  Got a real mouth on you, don’t you?”  Alistair’s hand shot up to grab his chin.  Castiel wanted to wince at how painful it was to have fingers digging in, but he refused to give the bastard the satisfaction.  Instead he glared at his attacker, and waited to see what he would do next.

 

“Kick his ass, Al!”  Someone shouted.  Castiel was pretty sure it was Paul, the bastard that had broken his ribs last week, but it didn’t matter.  Alistair would do whatever he wanted. 

 

A fist to the gut came unexpected and took the wind right out of him.  He would have crumpled to the floor if not for the hand Alistair still had on his jaw.  Someone tore his coat from his hands and instinctively he reached for it, but it was gone.  Another punch, this one to the face left his nose bleeding and his glasses officially broken on the floor.  How this could happen over and over on school property and no one got suspended or expelled, he had no idea.  In the beginning Castiel had gone to the principal’s office after every single attack, but now…now he was seen as the boy who cried wolf.  No one would back him up, not his haters, not even his sympathizers.  They feared being attacked themselves.  This school was living hell.  Another punch to the face left him so stunned he was seeing stars.  Then someone was reaching into his ear to dig out his hearing aide.

 

“No!”  He cried and pushed at the hand.  Just before it was yanked out, the hand disappeared.

 

“Leave him alone!”  A deep voice bellowed.  Alistair’s hand disappeared and Castiel did end up crumpled on the floor.  He leaned forward, spitting out the blood that was draining down the back of his throat and rolled enough that he wasn’t laying on his broken ribs.  His glasses lay in two pieces nearby, the frame cracked in half and he picked up the piece closest to him, putting it up to one eye to see what was happening.  People were shouting and there was the sickening squelch of a nose breaking and someone crying. Someone that sounded oddly like Alistair.

 

“I didn’t do anything!”  Azazael cried, and as Castiel turned to see what was happening, he spotted one of the guys from the baseball team.  A kid that had just transferred in recently and was actually in the same English class as him since it was for the hearing impaired.  Dean Winchester.  Someone knelt down beside Castiel and touched his arm.  He flinched and drew back until he realized the touch was gentle.  Turning, he saw a boy with shaggy brown hair next to him.

 

“You ok?  I sent my sister to get the principal, but she’s also calling the police.  I know the principal doesn’t really care about fights, but he’s going to after this.  She’s recording everything, including his reaction and the reaction of the staff.  No more idly standing by and letting kids like us get bullied.”  The boy said.

 

“You…”  Castiel had to read the boy’s lips which wasn’t easy without his glasses as his hearing aide had somehow been shut off.  Getting punched must have knocked the other one loose.  “Get bullied?  I-I can’t hear you right now.”

 

The boy looked down at the floor and located the missing hearing aide.  He offered it to Castiel who tucked it back into place.  The other one had been left hanging outside of his ear but didn’t seem to be damaged.

 

“Can you hear now?”  The boy asked.  Castiel nodded.

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

“I’m Sam.  That’s my brother Dean.  We usually leave after 6th period but we heard people talking about a fight over here.  Dean says he knows you and he wasn’t gonna let Al or anyone else bully you.”

 

Castiel looked again to where Dean had Alistair pinned to the floor, face down, his hands trapped behind his back.  The principal still had not arrived. 

 

“Dean has English with me, and I think maybe history.”  He knew for a fact Dean had both classes with him but he didn’t want to sound like some stalker.  He’d been harboring a crush on the handsome baseball player since he’d started at the school but no one knew that.

 

“That’s what he said.  He says you’re really nice and that the people in this school are assholes.  I have to agree.  This is the worst school we’ve ever gone to.

 

Sirens could be heard in the distance, but so could the voice of the principal who was rushing down the hall with 2 of the security staff at his side.  A tiny red head was following after, her camera trained on them. 

 

“Castiel, are you alright?”  The principal stopped in front of him, a look of concern that Castiel highly doubted was sincere at all on his face.

 

“No, I am _not_ alright.  I need an ambulance.”  He snapped.  Sam rubbed his back reassuringly, and Castiel knew the boy wasn’t going to leave his side.  Dean had apparently told him to stay.

 

“Well, there is one on the way right now.”  Principal Crowley said.  Castiel managed to get into a sitting position with help from Sam and leaned back against the lockers.

 

“Good.  Sam, if I pass out, please tip me forward so I don’t drown in my blood.”  He murmured.  Sam moved closer to brace him as he started to slide to the right.  There were feet shuffling and voices, and then warm hands were cupping his face.  His eyes fluttered open to see green ones looking back.  He recognized the face.

 

“Hello, Dean.” 

 

“Cas, you don’t look so good.”  The other boy said.

 

“I don’t feel so good.  I think one of those punches to my chest injured my already broken ribs.”  Cas murmured.

 

“Your ribs are broken?  Who broke them?”  Dean seemed to know he hadn’t just fallen and hurt himself.

 

“Paul Kor.  Tripped me and kicked me last week.”  Castiel confessed. 

 

“That son of a bitch!”  The hands disappeared and he heard Dean talking to someone.  “That one there, that’s Paul!”  A few seconds later the hands were back.  “There’s an ambulance on the way, Cas.  For both of us.”

 

Castiel blinked and forced himself to focus.  He frowned when he saw the cut on Dean’s cheek and another gash above his left eyebrow.  Both were bleeding profusely.  The bruising around one stunning green eye told him the other boy had been punched pretty hard.

 

“I’m sorry, Dean.  I didn’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

 

“It wasn’t because of you.  It was because of _them_.  I won’t tolerate that though.  Do you think you can stand?  The ambulance just got here.”  Dean asked.  Castiel tried to shift his weight but everything hurt so bad that he was left gasping for air and nearly sobbing.

 

“Hold on, I’m going to pick you up.” 

 

Castiel felt strong arms sliding carefully under him, and then he was being lifted.  His head lolled against Dean’s shoulder and he felt blood leaking down his throat again, making him choke.  He coughed, sending sprays of blood everywhere. 

 

“You shouldn’t have picked him up.  Here, set him down on the gurney.”  A voice was saying.  Slowly he was lowered onto a firm bed, and then someone was shining a light in his eyes.

 

“You with us, pal?”  A man’s voice asked.  Castiel choked again on blood but when someone tried to roll him, he ended up screaming.

 

“He has broken ribs!”  Dean cried.  After rolling him onto his back and then moved into a sitting position, Castiel found himself in motion.  A hand slipped into his own, though he didn’t know who’s it was.  Still, it was reassuring and he squeezed it.

 

The ambulance ride was short and he was poked and prodded the entire way.  A voice next to him told him Dean was there with him.  He either passed out or fell asleep, but the next thing he knew, he was in one of the triage bays in the emergency room where a nurse was shining a penlight up his nose.  She smiled when she realized he was awake.

 

“Hi there.  Are you still feeling blood at the back of your throat?”  She asked.  He swallowed and realized that though he could taste blood still, it wasn’t dripping or even trickling down the back of his throat anymore.  That was good at least.

 

“No.”  His voice was raspy and his face hurt.

 

“Good.  The doctor’s going to come in here shortly and talk to you, and we have to bring you up for x-rays of your ribs in a bit.  In the meantime, there’s someone that wants to see you.”  She was smiling brightly at him but he was in too much pain to try and decipher what she meant.  The curtain that blocked his view of the hall moved aside and Dean stepped in.

 

“How are you?”  Dean looked better than earlier, his brow had been glued and all of the blood had been cleaned up.  His left eye was a horrid shade of purple and blue that Castiel could see even without his glasses.

 

“I should be asking you that question.” 

 

“I’m fine.  It’s not my first fight, but it will hopefully be my last.”  Dean leaned against his railing and smiled.

 

“I wanted to thank you.  I’d have been really bad off if you hadn’t stepped in.  Someone, probably Alistair, punched me twice very close to my broken ribs.  I was afraid I’d get hit there again.  It already hurts enough to breathe.”  Castiel studied Dean’s face but the damage didn’t seem all that bad.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t step in sooner.  My hearing, even with my aides, isn’t great, and I didn’t hear the commotion, but Sammy did.  When he heard people saying there was a fight, I…was worried about you.  I caught people tripping you, so I knew you were bullied, and you were the first person I thought about.  If it’s any consolation, Alistair has a broken arm and a broken nose, but that’s his fault.  He attacked me for pulling him off you.”  Dean’s fingers had somehow appeared in his hair and were brushing it back off his forehead.  It made his stomach do a flip.

 

“No one ever steps in, so I thank you.”  Castiel placed his hand over the one Dean had still resting on the railing.  For a few minutes they both stayed quiet, just looking at one another.  When the curtain was pulled back and Castiel’s parents came rushing in, Dean pulled back the hand he had in Castiel’s hair, but left his other resting on the railing.

 

“Cassie!  Oh, honey!  What happened?!”  His mother fussed over him while his father stood near the foot of the bed watching, one hand resting on his son’s ankle, as though the simple gesture was keeping him grounded.  He looked at Dean and saw the cuts on his face and the black eye.

 

“Are you the boy that saved Castiel?”

 

Dean blushed but nodded.  “Yes, sir.  I couldn’t stand by and let them hurt him.”

 

“Thank you for that.”  He stuck out a hand and Dean shook it.  When Dean turned to look at Castiel again he noticed the hearing aides.

 

“Are you hearing impaired too?”

 

Dean gave a small smile and nodded.  “I think Cas here can hear better than me.”

 

The doctor chose that moment to come in and explained what damage had been done.  When he explained that the ribs were already broken before this fight though, his parents grew more upset, demanding to know why Castiel had not said anything to them.  He was clinging now to Dean’s hand making it impossible for the other boy to give him time alone with his family, but as they chewed him out, he got the feeling that Castiel didn’t want to be alone with them.

 

Twenty minutes later he was taken up for his x-rays and when he got back downstairs he found that Dean was gone.  He was more than a little saddened by that.  Now he just had to endure his parents until he was allowed to go home.

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

Castiel was cleared to go home around 10, and that was exactly where his parents took him.  His mother found his spare pair of glasses and he was given pain killers along with a turkey sandwich before being allowed to go to sleep.  The next morning, with help from his father to get undressed, he took a long, hot shower and took assessment of his various injuries.  After he’d dressed in a loose fitting tee and some basketball shorts, he made his way downstairs.  There were voices in the living room so he followed them.  To his shock he found Dean Winchester sitting on his couch having a grand old conversation with his brother Gabriel.  When Dean noticed him, he immediately smiled.

 

“Hey, Cas.”

 

“H-hello, Dean.  How are you?”  He came around the couch and Gabriel quickly got up, offering him his seat beside Dean.

 

“I have a migraine.  They said I have a concussion.  I’ll be ok though.” 

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”  Castiel still felt guilty about Dean getting hurt but when the other boy reached over and took his hand, all thoughts of the fight suddenly flew out the window.  He looked around and realized his brother was gone.  He had no idea where his parents were.  It was just him and Dean.

 

“Cas, how are you feeling?”

 

“I have a headache, but it’s been my ribs that have been hurting all week.”  He replied.

 

Silence fell between them and then suddenly Dean was talking so fast Castiel had to read his lips as it was easier to follow along with than listening to him was.

 

“Cas, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out sometime because I talked to Charlie Bradbury, she’s my adopted sister, and she says you’re in the GLA with her and that you’re out and I was hoping maybe you’d say yes if I asked you out, but I have a hard time at movie theaters, so I was thinking we could do dinner and maybe miniature golf or if there was something else you wanted to do or-”

 

Castiel’s head was spinning trying to keep up.  He finally brought a finger up and pressed it gently against Dean’s lips to silence him.  Wide, nervous green eyes were staring at him and it made him smile.

 

“Yes, I would love to go out with you, but you talk too fast.  I have a hard time keeping up.  Miniature golf, if that is indeed what you said, it sounds fun.  Or we could do laser tag?”

 

All of the tension suddenly bled out of Dean and he smiled.  Castiel dropped his hand and smiled back.

 

“Sorry, I was just really nervous.  I’ve been trying to think of a way to ask you out for weeks now, but I didn’t know if you liked me back or not.  I was taking a chance here.”  Dean admitted.

 

“I do like you, very much.  It’s a good thing you’re asking me out now.  I won’t be returning to school.”

 

Dean frowned.  “Until you’re healed?”

 

“No, Dean.  I mean I’m not going back.  Ever.  It’s not just Alistair or Azazael, or even Paul.  It’s most of the student body.  They do awful things to me every single day.  I can’t take it anymore.”  Castiel grabbed a few pillows to shove behind his back and carefully sat back against them.  Dean turned so he was facing him and leaned against the back of the couch too.

 

“I didn’t know.  Has this been going on all year?” 

 

Castiel sighed and looked down at where their hands were still folded together.

 

“It’s been going on since I started high school.  I went to a school for the hearing impaired until 9th grade, and I still needed some help in my classes as I don’t always hear the teachers.  In my freshman year they decided it was would be a good idea to assign an aide to me rather than let me take classes meant for the hearing impaired.  My parents chose this high school because of the program they have for deaf kids.  Well, having the aide made the kids think I was slow, even though I was in all honors classes.  So the teasing started.  I got my parents to get them to lose the aide sophomore year and I took the classes with Mrs. Everett who thankfully signs as she talks, but the teasing still continued and it slowly escalated.  I don’t want to rehash all of the things people have done to me, but this has been the worst year so far.  I don’t even care that it’s my senior year and that I have a scholarship waiting for Stanford.  I decided to drop out.  I can’t do it anymore.”

 

Dean scooted closer as he squeezed Castiel’s hand.

 

“I got that in my last school.  It’s why my parents moved us here.  I was put in the hospital last year because some asshole thought it was funny to steal my hearing aids and drop them in one of the toilets.  I didn’t hear the car in the parking lot when I tried to walk to my own car, and I got hit.  And that wasn’t the first time either.  My dad thought it was better to move us here.  He’s really upset about this fight, but I explained that they were doing to you what they had done to me, and that I couldn’t just stand by and let it happen.  He understands.  I think you should stay.  I promise I won’t let this happen to you again, Cas.  I’ll keep you safe.”

 

This was the first time that anyone outside of his own family had made a pledge like that to him.  He wanted to believe it was true, but he knew better.  Dean wasn’t in every class with him, he couldn’t possibly keep such a promise.

 

“You can’t though, we only have 2 classes together.”

 

“Maybe, but I called up the other guys on the team with me.  They think it’s messed up what’s been going on.  So I figured out who does have classes with you, and we have made it our civic duty to walk you to and from every single class, every day until graduation.  When I say I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, Cas, I mean it.  And my dad’s friend Zeke?  He’s a lawyer.  Charlie sent him the video footage of the principal trying to downplay the situation and not wanting to go down and make sure you were ok, and he’s pissed.  Apparently Charlie isn’t the only one with footage.  Basically Crowley just cost himself his own job.  He will be replaced, probably before the end of the year, and I’m sure the new person will be better.  Zeke is also insisting that the school install cameras in every single hall.  The district has the funding for it, or so I’m told.  That will make the school safer for everyone, including my brother and sister who still have a few years left there.  So please, come back?  If I can’t do it, you can stay home, but I know you’re smart and you’re driven, and that Stanford scholarship will get you miles away from these assholes.”  Dean pleaded softly, hoping Castiel would change his mind.

 

“Why does it matter though?  I’m nothing special.”  Castiel argued.  He was scared.  So much had been done to hurt him, both physically and emotionally.  Getting walked to class wasn’t going to be enough to repair all of the damage.  But Dean seemed determined to try.

 

“You are special though.  To your family, to your friends.  To me.  Cas, I’ve liked you since the first moment you said hi to me in English class, and I knew you were really nice and really smart.  And it helped a lot that you were wearing a Star Wars shirt that day.  The more we talked, the more I liked you.  I was just too chicken to ask you out.  I went out with a girl last year that very quickly got irritated with me because she talked very softly and I had to keep asking her to repeat herself.  It sort of made me self-conscious.  I know you wouldn’t do that to me though.  And fuck, you’re so hot, Cas.  You’re like the hottest guy I’ve ever met.”  The last part seemed to slip out unbidden and Dean blushed hard.  Castiel’s eyes widened.

 

“Me?  You think _I’m_ hot?”

 

“Yes!  I don’t know how people are bullying you instead of wanting to be in your favor so they might have a chance at being your boyfriend.  Or girlfriend.”  Dean said.

 

“No, no girlfriends.  Only boyfriends, not that I’ve had any of those.  Yet.”  Castiel found himself blushing.

 

“Lucky me then, being the one smart enough to ask you out.”  Dean grinned.  He brought his free hand up and stroked it gently down the other boy’s cheek.  “I am promising that I’ll keep you safe.”

 

Castiel wanted to believe him.  If Dean couldn’t live up to his promise, well, he could still leave school.

 

“O-ok.  I’ll come back.”  He said softly.  Suddenly he found himself with warm lips pressing against his own. 

 

“Oh!  I’m sorry!”  Dean gasped as he nearly leapt back.  Castiel held tight to his hand though, so he didn’t get very far.

 

“It’s ok, I just…wasn’t expecting that.”

 

“I might be crappy dating material.”  Dean slowly scooted closer again.

 

“Considering I’ve never dated anyone before, I can’t possibly be much better.”  Castiel said.

 

“Sometimes I get quiet because I think what I’m saying will be considered stupid.  I’m afraid of getting made fun of.”  Dean admitted.  Castiel brushed his fingers through Dean’s dirty blonde hair. 

 

“Nothing you say is stupid.  If you are quiet, that’s ok.  I’ll never make fun of you for anything you say.”  He promised.

 

“So, when can I take you out, Cas?”  Dean asked. 

 

“Oh, well, I’m in pain still.  I’d like to not hurt for our date, so I can focus on you.  But…” 

 

“But?”  Dean pressed.

 

“But maybe you’d like to stay today and we can watch a movie or play video games?”  Castiel hoped Dean didn’t think he was a total nerd.

 

“Can we watch Star Wars?”  Dean asked.

 

Castiel broke out in a smile.  “Absolutely.”

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

The following Monday in school, people made a wide berth for Dean and Castiel as they entered the building.  Anyone that even looked like they might want to say something rude got a warning look from Dean, and immediately backed off.  Castiel was escorted to and from every single class and he found the guys from the baseball team were just as nice as Dean was.  He tried not to think too hard about how none had ever stepped up before to help him.  They were helping now, and that was what mattered.  It was starting him on the path to healing, and preparing him for college life.

 

They went out on their date a week later, despite Dean’s protests that Castiel wait for his ribs to heal more.  They had dinner and ended up laying out on the hood of Dean’s car, watching the stars.  He wasn’t ready yet for laser tag or miniature golf, but he was ready for time spent outside their houses, where family wasn’t just a room away.  Dean hadn’t lied about being quiet.  He was nervous and Castiel did everything he could to assure him that he was perfect the way he was.  Slowly Dean began to open up more, and Castiel began to learn what a funny, smart, and genuine person Dean was.

 

By prom Castiel was happy to say he’d only been tripped once since Dean had made his promise, and that was his own fault for not paying attention to where he was going.  He’d been dating Dean for 3 months at that point, and it was the best 3 months of his life.  So he didn’t think twice about asking his boyfriend to prom.  He even did an epic “Promposal”, and was thrilled when Dean swept him up in his arms and kissed him senseless.  He wasn’t scared anymore.  Dean had made sure of that. 

 

Graduation went off without a hitch and when it came time for Castiel to leave for Stanford, Dean followed.  He had his own scholarship to Berkley, so they got an apartment in the middle.  Castiel did his part to make sure Dean knew he was loved and wanted, and as time passed, they both healed.  It made sense after graduation to anyone with eyes when Dean proposed to Castiel.  They came back to their hometown and Castiel took a position at the school for the deaf while Dean taught art at the high school.  They still ran into assholes like Alistair who never left and never bothered with college, but Castiel no longer cowered in fear from him or people like him.  He held his head high and drew from his own inner strength.  His life was better than he could have ever expected.  No longer was he just the queer, deaf boy no one wanted to talk to.  Now he had more friends than he knew what to do with, an amazing, loving fiancé, and a job he loved.  He didn’t see this for himself before he met Dean, but there was no way on earth he would ever want to go back to the way things were. 

**Author's Note:**

> **Day 4: Hospital Visits**
> 
> I hope you liked this. Kudos and comments are always welcome.


End file.
